NEWS ARCHIVE

Local Red Cross Deploys Five Volunteers To Assist Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts in West Virginia

Volunteers Will Depart For Morgantown Wednesday Morning

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Updated: 9:26 PM EDT Nov 1, 2012

See details below on how you can help the Victims of Hurricane Sandy through the American Red Cross.

Local Red Cross Deploys Five Volunteers To Assist Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts in West Virginia

Volunteers Will Depart For Morgantown Wednesday Morning

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Updated: 9:26 PM EDT Nov 1, 2012

PITTSBURGH, PA —

The American Red Cross is continuing a major relief operation throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to shelter and assist people affected by Superstorm Sandy. Millions awoke this morning to power outages, fallen trees, scattered debris and flooded neighborhoods, and the Red Cross is working hard to get help where it is needed.

To assist in Sandy relief efforts, the local Red Cross in Western Pennsylvania will deploy five volunteers to Morgantown on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The volunteers, Cindy Chmel of Claysville, Rose Marie Malizio of Heidelberg, Lauren Pucci of South Hills, Ken Brown of South Hills, and John Breitweiser of South Park, will assist with shelter operations as well as provide emergency relief to the affected communities.

As a result of Hurricane Sandy, nearly 11,000 people spent Monday night in more than 250 Red Cross shelters across 16 states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana, and Michigan. These numbers could increase as the storm moves into cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee with heavy wind, rain and snow.

The Red Cross has mobilized 1,700 disaster workers from all over the country who have served more than 25,000 meals and snacks so far. We have also activated 167 response vehicles and shipped in more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals.

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SAFETY AFTER THE STORM In areas hit by this storm, the Red Cross urges people to check on their neighbors, make sure everyone is okay, and take care of each other until help arrives. Everyone should follow the direction of their local officials during this disaster – evacuate if told to do so, stay in a safe place and off the roads until the storm is over, and do not return home until officials say it is okay.

FINANCIAL AND BLOOD DONATIONS NEEDED The relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy are expected to be extensive and quite costly. Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy.

To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Approximately 300 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and more are expected. The Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations in areas unaffected by this storm and asks that people in the affected areas consider donating blood once the storm passes through and it’s safe to do so.

Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height), and who are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, please go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.